Blood pressure monitor

ABSTRACT

A blood pressure monitor including a manually operable pressurizer is disclosed. The blood pressure monitor may include a cuff configured to apply a pressure to a target portion of a body of a user, a pressurizer, a depressurizer, and a sensor to measure a blood pressure. The pressurizer may include a rotator, and be configured to supply a fluid to the cuff, to cause the cuff to apply the pressure, through rotation of the rotator caused by an external rotational force applied to the blood pressure monitor to rotate the rotator. The depressurizer may be configured to reduce the applied pressure applied by the cuff to the target portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(a) of Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2015-0120722, filed on Aug. 27, 2015 in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The following description relates to a blood pressure monitor includinga manually operable pressurizer.

2. Description of Related Art

A sphygmomanometer, or a blood pressure monitor referred to herein, maybe an apparatus configured to measure a blood pressure of a user. Theblood pressure monitor may apply pressure to a body of a user andmeasure blood pressure of the user based on values measured while thepressure is being released. Blood pressure monitors typically include amotor to apply the pressure to the body of the user. The blood pressuremonitor may transfer or apply, through operation of the motor, pressureto a cuff configured to measure the blood pressure. In addition, theblood pressure monitor may adjust the speed at which the pressuretransferred to the cuff is then released.

However, this motor may be large in volume and consume a great amount ofpower, and thus using such a motor in the blood pressure monitor may notbe suitable to reduce the size of the blood pressure monitor. A person'sblood pressure may be used to diagnose a disease associated with bloodpressure when measured frequently and in various environments.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is the Summaryintended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimedsubject matter.

One or more embodiments include a blood pressure monitor, including acuff configured to apply a pressure to a target portion of a body of auser, a pressurizer including a rotator, the pressurizer configured tosupply a fluid to the cuff, to cause the cuff to apply the pressure,through rotation of the rotator caused by an external rotational forceapplied to the blood pressure monitor to rotate the rotator, adepressurizer configured to reduce the applied pressure applied by thecuff to the target portion, and a sensor configured to measure apressure of the target portion.

The pressurizer may include a tube connected to the cuff, and therotator may be configured to supply the fluid to the cuff by rotating ina state in which at least a portion of the tube is blocked.

The pressurizer may include a string configured to apply the rotationalforce to rotate the rotator upon an external pulling of the string bythe user.

The pressurizer may be a manually operable peristaltic pump operated bythe rotation of the rotator.

The pressurizer may include a ratchet configured to selectively maintaina rotation direction to be constant.

The depressurizer may include a rotary damper configured to reduce thepressure applied by the cuff to the target portion at a constant rate bycontrolling a rotating of the rotator in a direction opposite to therotation direction of the rotator caused by the external force, when theexternal force is ceased.

The monitor may further include a tube configured to supply the fluid tothe cuff, and the depressurizer may include a valve configured tomaintain a speed at which the fluid is discharged from the cuff to beconstant when the external rotational force is ceased.

The valve may include a ring configured to obstruct a flow of the fluid,and a support configured to support the ring based on the flow of thefluid and in which a taper, inclined in a direction in which the fluidflows, is formed.

The monitor may further include a controller configured to generate,with respect to a determined change in a blood flow of the targetportion, a first feedback signal based on a determination of whenpressure should be increased by application of the external force and asecond feedback signal based on a determination of when the appliedpressure should be decreased.

One or more embodiments provide a blood pressure monitor, including aband configured to cover a target portion of a body of a user andconfigured to apply pressure to the target portion through movement of aconstrictor device of the band, a pressure adjuster configured to causethe band to adjust the movement of the constrictor device to control theapplying of the pressure to the target portion, and a sensor configuredto measure a pressure of the target portion.

The pressure adjuster may include a support axis winding at least aportion of the band to cause the constrictor device to constrict, and aratchet configured to selectively maintain a rotation direction of thesupport axis in a first direction by an external force applied to theblood pressure monitor.

The pressure adjuster may include a rotary damper configured to maintaina rotation speed of the support axis in a second direction at a constantspeed when the application of the external force ceases and the ratchetdoes not maintain the rotation direction of the support axis in thefirst direction.

The constrictor device may be a string within the band, and the pressureadjuster may include a support axis configured to wind at least aportion of the string to cause the band to constrict in response to anexternal force applied to the blood pressure monitor, and a ratchetconfigured to selectively maintain a rotation direction of the supportaxis in a first direction that winds the string around the support axis.

The pressure adjuster may include a rotary damper configured to maintaina rotation speed of the support axis in a second direction at a constantspeed when the application of the external force ceases and the ratchetdoes not maintain the rotation direction of the support axis in thefirst direction.

The monitor may further include a controller configured to generate,with respect to a determined change in a blood flow of the targetportion, a first feedback signal based on a determination of whenpressure should be increased by application of an external force to thepressure adjuster and a second feedback signal based on a determinationof when the applied pressure should be decreased.

One or more embodiments provide a blood pressure monitor, including asupport system including at least two support elements to at leastpartially surround a target portion of a body of a user, a pressureadjuster configured to adjust a pressure to be applied to the targetportion by the support system by selective control of movementdirections of at least one of the two support elements relative to eachother, to apply pressure to the target portion by the at least one ofthe two support elements by being caused, by application of at least oneexternal force to the blood pressure monitor, to move in a respectivefirst movement direction, and a sensor configured to measure a pressureof the target portion.

The pressure adjuster may include a ratchet configured to performselective control of the at least one of the two support elements tomove in the first direction so that an angle between the at least twosupport elements decreases through the application of the externalforce.

The pressure adjuster may include at least one hinge damper configuredto adjust a speed at which at least one of the two support elementsreleases to increase an angle between the two support elements at aconstant speed to decrease the applied pressure.

The monitor may further include a controller configured to generate,with respect to a determined change in a blood flow of the targetportion, a first feedback signal based on a determination of whenpressure should be increased by the application of the external forceand a second feedback signal based on a determination of when theapplied pressure should be decreased.

One or more embodiments provide a blood pressure monitoring methodincluding generating a feedback signal to a user to indicate when a usershould cease manual application of an external force to a blood pressuremonitor of one or more embodiments discussed herein, measuring pressureof a corresponding target portion of the user based on a determinedchange in blood flow, and outputting a calculated blood pressure of theuser based on measured pressure.

Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detaileddescription, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor including anon-powered pressurizer, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor configured toadjust pressure applied to a target portion using a fluid, in accordancewith one or more embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor cuff, inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor with a stringfor rotation of a rotator, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor with a rotarydamper, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a valve configured to maintain adepressurization speed, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor configured toadjust pressure applied to a target portion through a contraction of aband, in accordance one or more embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor configured toadjust pressure applied to a target portion through a tightening of aband, in accordance one or more embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor configured toadjust pressure applied to a target portion through a tightening of asupport, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate examples of states in which a bloodpressure monitor may be worn, in accordance with one or moreembodiments.

FIG. 11 is a graph illustrating an operation of a controller of a bloodpressure monitor, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating controller operations in a bloodpressure monitoring method, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwisedescribed or provided, the same drawing reference numerals will beunderstood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. Thedrawings may not be to scale, and the relative size, proportions, anddepiction of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity,illustration, and convenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is provided to assist the reader ingaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses,and/or systems described herein. However, after an understanding of thepresent disclosure, various changes, modifications, and equivalents ofthe methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. The sequences ofoperations described herein are merely examples, and are not limited tothose set forth herein, but may be changed as will be apparent, after anunderstanding of the present disclosure, to one of ordinary skill in theart, with the exception of operations necessarily occurring in a certainorder. Also, descriptions of functions and constructions that may beunderstood, after an understanding of differing aspects of the presentdisclosure, may be omitted in some descriptions for increased clarityand conciseness.

Various alterations and modifications may be made to embodiments, someof which will be illustrated in detail in the drawings and detaileddescription. However, it should be understood that these embodiments arenot construed as limited to the disclosure and illustrated forms andshould be understood to include all changes, equivalents, andalternatives within the idea and the technical scope of this disclosure.

Terms used herein are to merely explain specific embodiments, thus it isnot meant to be limiting. A singular expression includes a pluralexpression except when two expressions are contextually different fromeach other. For example, as used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”,and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless thecontext clearly indicates otherwise. Herein, a term “include” or “have”are also intended to indicate that characteristics, figures, operations,components, or elements disclosed on the specification or combinationsthereof exist. The term “include” or “have” should be understood so asnot to pre-exclude existence of one or more other characteristics,figures, operations, components, elements or combinations thereof oradditional possibility. In addition, though terms such as first, second,A, B, (a), (b), and the like may be used herein to describe components,unless indicated otherwise, these terminologies are not used to definean essence, order, or sequence of a corresponding component but usedmerely to distinguish the corresponding component from othercomponent(s).

Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical and scientificterms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one ofordinary skill in the art to which respective embodiments belong. Itwill be further understood that terms, such as those defined incommonly-used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaningthat is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant artand the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealizedor overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

When describing the examples with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, like reference numerals refer to like constituent elements anda repeated description related thereto will be omitted. When it isdetermined that a detailed description related to an understood orpreviously discussed operation or configuration may make a purpose of asubsequent embodiment unnecessarily ambiguous in describing theembodiment, such a detailed description will be omitted.

As only an example, in the field of wearable devices such as smartwatches and smartwear, the size and power consumption of a bloodpressure monitor may be an important issue to be considered.Accordingly, in one or more embodiments, a blood pressure monitor with areduced size and reduced power requirements may be provided. Forexample, the blood pressure monitor may be configured so thatpressurization may be implemented with a non-powered pressurizer thatoperates based on manual pressure inducements with a reduced size forcompact use, such as with smart watch or smart wear embodiments, as wellas with other embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor 100 includinga non-powered pressurizer, in accordance with one or more embodiments.Referring to FIG. 1, the blood pressure monitor 100 includes apressurizer 110, a depressurizer 120, a cuff 130, a sensor 140, and acontroller 150, for example. The blood pressure monitor 100 measures ablood pressure of a user from a target portion of a body of the user.The target portion may include, for example, a wrist and an upper arm ofthe user. The target portion may be, for example, an entire wrist and anentire upper arm of the user. The target portion may be, for example, aportion of the wrist and a portion of the upper arm of the user. Thetarget portion may be, for example, a portion of the wrist and the upperarm in which an artery passes. For example, the target portion may be aportion in which a radial artery and brachial artery of the user pass.

The pressurizer 110 is configured to increase a pressure that is appliedto the target portion. The pressurizer 110 increases the pressure forthe target portion by an external force. The external force may begenerated through manipulation by the user. Depending on embodiment, thepressurizer 110 may increase the pressure for the target portion throughvarious mechanisms based on an external force. In a non-limitingexample, the pressurizer 110 may increase the pressure for the targetportion by supplying a fluid to the cuff 130 through rotation by anexternal force. In another non-limiting example, the pressurizer 110 mayincrease the pressure for the target portion through a contraction of aband covering the target portion. In still another non-limiting example,the pressurizer 110 may increase the pressure for the target portionthrough a tightening of the band covering the target portion. In yetanother non-limiting example, the pressurizer 110 may increase thepressure for the target portion through a tightening of a support of asupport system configured to support the target portion. Furtherdescriptions of such examples will be described in greater detailfurther below.

The depressurizer 120 is configured to reduce the pressure that isapplied to the target portion. The depressurizer 120 may start adepressurizing of the target portion by an external force. After thedepressurizing of the target portion starts by the external force, adepressurization state may be maintained by a structure of thedepressurizer 120. To measure an accurate blood pressure, maintaining adepressurization speed may be desired. The depressurization speedindicates a rate at which a pressure is reduced per hour, for example.The depressurizer 120 may include various structures to maintain thedepressurization speed. In an example, the depressurizer 120 may includevarious dampers. For example, the depressurizer 120 may include at leastone of a rotary damper and a hinge damper. In another example, thedepressurizer 120 may include various valves. For example, thedepressurizer 120 may include a constant flow valve. Such examplestructures will be described in greater detail further below, notingthat alternative embodiments are also available.

In a case that the pressure of the target portion increases anddecreases through any one structure, the pressurizer 110 and thedepressurizer 120 may be referred to as a pressure adjuster.

The cuff 130 applies a pressure to the target portion. The cuff 130 mayinclude, or caused to include, various fluids to allow the cuff 130 tobe closely attached to the target portion. A fluid may include variousforms of gas and liquid. For example, the fluid may include air and agel. For example, a degree of contact between the cuff 130 and thetarget portion may be adjusted based on an amount of the fluid includedin the cuff 130. In one or more embodiments, the cuff 130 may beprovided as a flexible material to be in a closer contact with thetarget portion.

The sensor 140 measures a pressure of the target portion. In addition,the sensor 140 may measure a blood flow of the target portion. Thesensor 140 may be located around the target portion. The sensor 140 mayinclude a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of thetarget portion and an optical sensor configured to measure the bloodflow of the target portion, for example.

The controller 150 may generate measurement data based on an outputdata, readings, or signals from the sensor 140. The measurement data mayinclude a blood pressure in a contraction period, a mean blood pressure,and a blood pressure in a relaxation period, for example. A process ofcalculating the blood pressure in the contraction period, the mean bloodpressure, and the blood pressure in the relaxation period will bedescribed in greater detail further below.

In addition, the controller 150 may generate diagnosis data based on themeasurement data. For example, the controller 150 may generate thediagnosis data by comparing the measurement data to reference data. Thediagnosis data may include data or conclusions regarding a healthcondition of the user associated with a blood pressure. For example, thecontroller 150 may determine whether the blood pressure of the user isnormal, high, or low by comparing the measurement data to the referencedata. The reference data may be determined based on physical informationof the user. For example, the reference data may be determined to bedata corresponding to the physical information of the user among varioussets of data corresponding to various sets of physical information. Thecontroller 150 may include an input user interface, for example, wheresuch reference information or other information is entered forconsideration by the controller 150.

The controller 150 may be configured to transmit at least one of themeasurement data and the diagnosis data to an external device, forexample. In an embodiment, the external device may include a personaldevice of the user and a medical server, such as in a blood monitoringsystem embodiment. In an embodiment, the controller 150 may beconfigured to transmit the measurement data and the diagnosis data tothe personal device of the user to allow the user to verify themeasurement data and the diagnosis data through the personal device ofthe user. Also, the controller 150 may be configured to transmit themeasurement data to the medical server. In an embodiment, a doctor mayinput the diagnosis data to the medical server based on the measurementdata, and the controller 150 may be configured to then receive thediagnosis data from the medical server.

The controller 150 may be configured to generate a feedback signal,e.g., associated with a desired manipulation by the user. For example,the feedback signal may include a first feedback signal to request theuser for pressurization and a second feedback signal to request the userfor depressurization. A process of generating the feedback signal willbe described in greater detail further below.

Here, the controller 150 includes hardware that may be configured toimplement one or more, or all, of the operations described herein,depending on embodiment. As only an example, the hardware may be aspecial purpose processor or computer, e.g., configured to implement oneor more methods or operations described herein and/or configured toimplement or operate based on processor readable code that implementssuch methods or operations.

Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, depending on embodiment, the bloodpressure monitor 100 includes an output device component. The outputdevice component is a hardware component that may include at least oneof a display device, a speaker, and a vibrator, as only examples. Thecontroller 150 may output the feedback signal to the user through theoutput device component. In addition, the controller 150 may output themeasurement data and the diagnosis data to the user through the outputdevice component. In addition, depending on embodiment, the controller150 or the blood pressure monitor 100 includes one or more input devicecomponents, as hardware that are configured to request, accept, orreceive input from a user interface and/or signals of sensors of theblood pressure monitor 100 or external sensors of the blood pressuremonitor, such as for measuring pressure or blood flow, as discussed ingreater detail further below.

Still further, although not illustrated in FIG. 1, in one or moreembodiments, the blood pressure monitor 100 includes a communicationhardware module. For example, the controller 150 exchanges the data withthe personal device of the user and the medical server through thecommunication module.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor configured toadjust pressure applied to a target portion using a fluid, in accordancewith one or more embodiments. Referring to FIG. 2, the blood pressuremonitor may include a body 210, a bezel 220, a band 230, a tube 240, anda rotator 250, for example. The blood pressure monitor may also includethe cuff 130, the sensor 140, and the controller 150, for example,described with reference to FIG. 1.

In one or more embodiments, the body 210 is fixed to the band 230, forexample. The body 210 includes at least a portion of the tube 240 andthe rotator 250. The bezel 220 rotates on the body 210 through anexternal force. The bezel 220 rotates the rotator 250 based on theexternal force.

The tube 240 and the rotator 250 are collectively referred to as apressurizer. The tube 240 and the rotator 250 supply a fluid to a cuffthrough rotation by an external force. For example, the tube 240 and therotator 250 may be a peristaltic pump, and the tube 240 and the rotator250 may make up a manually operable peristaltic pump, as only an exampleof such a manually operable peristaltic pump.

In one or more embodiments, one end of the tube 240 is connected to thecuff, and another end of the tube 240 is connected to a fluid bag tosupply the fluid or is exposed in air. For example, the other end of thetube 240 may be disconnected. A hole may be present around the other endof the tube 240. The tube 240 is connected to the cuff through the band230. The fluid included in the tube 240 flows through the rotation ofthe rotator 250. The tube 240 supplies the fluid to the cuff through therotation of the rotator 250.

The rotator 250 may include a plurality of projections. The projectionsmay form a plurality of spaces in the tube 240. Thus, the rotator 250may block at least a portion of the tube 240. Here, to “block” and toperform a “blocking” as referred to herein may be construed asindicating a state that may induce a flow of the fluid rather thanindicating closing or sealing. The rotator 250 supplies the fluid to thecuff while rotating in a state in which the at least a portion of thetube 240 is blocked. The rotator 250 rotates in a rotation direction asillustrated in FIG. 2. In one or more embodiments, the rotator 250includes a ratchet. The rotation direction of the rotator 250 may bemaintained by application of the ratchet. A discharge of the fluidsupplied to the cuff may be prevented through the ratchet. A lock of theratchet may be released by an external force, for example. When the lockof the ratchet is released, depressurization of the target portion maybe initiated. For example, when the lock of the ratchet is released, therotator 250 may be connected to a rotary damper.

Thus, in one or more embodiments, the band 230 fixes the blood pressuremonitor to a body of a user. The band 230 fixes the cuff. The cuff isfixed to the target portion through the band 230. An example of the cuffwill be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 3.

Here, though a blood pressure monitor configured to adjust pressureapplied to a target portion using a fluid has been discussed above withreference to elements of FIG. 2, embodiments are not limited thereto andalternative manually operable fluid based pressure inducing elements maybe used for applying pressure to the target portion.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor cuff 330, inaccordance with one or more embodiments. Referring to FIG. 3, a bloodpressure monitor includes a body 310, a band 320, and the cuff 330. Theblood pressure monitor may also include the bezel 220, the tube 240, andthe rotator 250, such as described with reference to FIG. 2. Forexample, the body 310 may include the tube 240 and the rotator 250.

The cuff 330 may be provided in various sizes based on the targetportion. The cuff 330 may be provided in a size to apply a pressure to aportion around a radial artery. For example, the cuff 330 may beprovided in a size corresponding to a portion of the band 320. Also, thecuff 330 may be provided in a size to apply a pressure to an entireportion of a wrist. For example, the cuff 330 may be provided in a sizecorresponding to an entire portion of the band 320.

The cuff 330 includes a fluid to be closely attached to the targetportion. A volume of the cuff 330 may vary with the fluid. The cuff 330is connected to a tube, for example, the tube 240. An amount of thefluid included in the cuff 330 is adjusted through the tube. Forexample, the fluid may be supplied to the cuff 330 through the tube, anddischarged from the cuff 330 through the tube. The cuff 330 is expandedby the supply of the fluid, and contracted by the discharge of thefluid. That is, the cuff 330 may increase a pressure of the targetportion by the supply of the fluid, and decrease the pressure of thetarget portion by the discharge of the fluid.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the rotator 250 rotates by an external force.The external force may include manipulation by the user. In an example,the rotator 250 may rotate through a string. Such a string will befurther described with reference to FIG. 4, as only an example.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor with a string610 for rotation of a rotator, in accordance with one or moreembodiments. Referring to FIG. 4, a blood pressure monitor includes thestring 610 and a bezel 620. The string 610 is connected to the bezel620. The string 610 may be connected to the bezel 620 or the rotator250, such as described with reference to FIG. 2. In an embodiment, whenthe string 610 is pulled in a movement direction as illustrated in FIG.4, the bezel 620 or the rotator 250 may rotate clockwise, for example.Thus, a user may increase a pressure of a target portion using thestring 610 without directly manipulating the bezel 620.

Referring back to FIG. 2, for example, the rotator 250 supplies a fluidto a cuff while rotating in a rotation direction as illustrated in FIG.2. In addition, the rotator 250 may discharge the fluid supplied to thecuff while rotating in a direction opposite to the rotation direction.In response to the discharge of the fluid, a pressure of the targetportion may decrease. To measure an accurate blood pressure, adepressurization speed may need to be maintained. The depressurizationspeed may be maintained using various structures. The depressurizationspeed may be maintained using various dampers. For example, thedepressurization speed may be maintained using a rotary damper.Alternatively, the depressurization speed may be maintained using avalve. Such a rotary damper and valve will be further respectivelydescribed with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, as only examples.

Here, though a blood pressure monitor configured to adjust pressureapplied to a target portion using a string has been discussed above withreference to elements of FIG. 4, embodiments are not limited thereto andalternative manual devices other than such a string may be used forexternally rotating the bezel or rotator.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor with a rotarydamper, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Referring to FIG. 5,a blood pressure monitor includes a body 410, a support 420, and arotator 430, for example. The blood pressure monitor may also includethe bezel 220, the tube 240, and the rotator 250, such as described withreference to FIG. 2. For example, the body 410 may include at least aportion of the tube 240 and the rotator 250. The support 420 and therotator 430 may be collectively referred to as a depressurizer.

The body 410 includes the support 420 and the rotator 430. In one ormore embodiments, the support 420 is fixed to the body 410. The rotator430 rotates on the support 420 in a rotation direction as illustrated inFIG. 5. A rotation speed of the rotator 430 may be maintained to beconstant through friction with the support 420. For example, therotation speed of the rotator 430 may be maintained to be constant by alubricant between the rotator 430 and the support 420 or a springconnecting the rotator 430 and the support 420.

The rotator 430 may be connected to the rotator 250, such as illustratedin FIG. 2. For example, when a lock of a ratchet is released, therotator 430 may be connected to the rotator 250 through an axis of thesupport 420. The rotator 430 and the rotator 250 may share the axis andbe located on opposite sides of the support 420. The rotator 430 maymaintain a rotation speed of the rotator 250. For example, the rotator430 may maintain the depressurizing rotation speed of the rotator 250 tobe constant through friction with the support 420. In response to therotation speed of the rotator 250 being maintained, a depressurizationspeed of a target portion may be maintained. Thus, accuracy in measuringa blood pressure may be improved.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a valve configured to maintain adepressurization speed, in accordance with one or more embodiments.Referring to FIG. 6, a tube 710 may include a ring 720 and a support730, for example. The tube 710 may be a portion of the tube 240, such asdescribed with reference to FIG. 2.

The ring 720 may obstruct a flow of a fluid through a hole smaller thanthe tube 710. The ring 720 may move in a direction in which the fluidflows based on the flow of the fluid. The ring 720 may be closelyattached to the support 730 based on a speed of the fluid. The support730 may include a taper inclined in the direction in which the fluidflows. When the ring 720 is attached closer to the support 730, the holeof the ring 720 may be narrowed. Also, when the ring 720 is attachedcloser to the support 730, the speed of the fluid may decrease. Thus,the speed of the fluid may be maintained to be constant through the ring720 and the support 730, and thus accuracy in measuring a blood pressuremay be improved.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor configured toadjust pressure applied to a target portion through a contraction of aband 530, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Referring to FIG.7, the blood pressure monitor may include a rotator 510, a body 520, theband 530, and a string 540, for example. The blood pressure monitor mayalso include the cuff 130, the sensor 140, and the controller 150, suchas described with reference to FIG. 1.

The string 540 may be wound around a support axis fixed to the rotator510 when the rotator 510 rotates in a rotation direction as illustratedin FIG. 7. At least a portion of the band 530 may include a cuff, forexample, the cuff 130. When the string 540 is wound around the supportaxis, the band 530 may be contracted. In response to the band 530 beingcontracted, the pressure of the target portion may increase. When thestring 540 is released from the support axis, the band 530 may berelaxed. In response to the band 530 being relaxed, the pressure of thetarget portion may decrease. The body 520 may include a ratchetconfigured to adjust a rotation direction of the support axis to allowthe support axis to rotate in a constant direction.

A relaxation speed of the band 530 may be adjusted by at least onedamper described in the foregoing. For example, the rotation speed ofthe support axis may be adjusted by a rotary damper. As described in theforegoing, the rotation speed of the support axis may be maintained tobe constant through friction between a rotator of the rotary damper anda support of the rotary damper or by a spring connecting the rotator ofthe rotary damper and the support of the rotary damper. The string 540,the support axis, and the ratchet may be collectively referred to apressure adjuster.

Here, though a blood pressure monitor configured to adjust pressureapplied to a target portion using elements for contracting a band havebeen discussed above with reference to elements of FIG. 7, embodimentsare not limited thereto and alternative elements for adjusting thepressure may be used.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor configured toadjust pressure applied to a target portion through a tightening of aband 930, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Referring to FIG.8, the blood pressure monitor may include a body 910, a pressureadjuster 920, and the band 930, for example. The blood pressure monitormay also include the cuff 130, the sensor 140, and the controller 150,such as described with reference to FIG. 1.

In one or more embodiments, the body 910 includes the pressure adjuster920. The pressure adjuster 920 may include a support axis covering atleast a portion of the band 930. In addition, the pressure adjuster 920may include a ratchet configured to adjust a rotation direction of thesupport axis to allow the support axis to rotate in a constant directionthrough an external force. In response to a movement of the band 930 inan arrow-indicating direction as illustrated in FIG. 8, a pressure to beapplied to the target portion may be adjusted. For example, when thesupport axis rotates in a first direction, the pressure of the targetportion may increase. When the support axis rotates in a seconddirection, the pressure of the target potion may decrease. A user mayincrease the pressure of the target portion by pulling the band 930, anddecrease the pressure of the target portion by releasing the band 930.

A depressurization speed may be determined based on a speed at which theband 930 is released. The speed at which the band 930 is released may beadjusted based on the user manually controlled rotation speed of thesupport axis. For example, the rotation speed of the support axis in thesecond direction may be maintained to be constant through a rotarydamper. As described in the foregoing, the rotation speed of the supportaxis may be maintained to be constant through friction between a rotatorof the rotary damper and a support of the rotary damper or by a springconnecting the rotator of the rotary damper and the support of therotary damper, as only examples.

Here, though a blood pressure monitor configured to adjust pressureapplied to a target portion using elements for tightening a band havebeen discussed above with reference to elements of FIG. 8, embodimentsare not limited thereto and alternative elements for tightening the bandmay be used.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a blood pressure monitor configured toadjust pressure applied to a target portion through a tightening of asupport, in accordance with one or more embodiments. Referring to FIG.9, the blood pressure monitor may include a first support 810, a secondsupport 820, and a pressure adjuster 830, for example. The bloodpressure monitor may also include the cuff 130, the sensor 140, and thecontroller 150, such as described with reference to FIG. 1.

The first support 810 and the second support 820 may cover the targetportion. Depending on embodiment, the first support 810 and the secondsupport 820 may cover the entirety of the target portion, such ascompletely surrounding a wrist or arm body portion, or may cover only aportion of the target portion. The first support 810 and the secondsupport 820 cover the target portion by being tightened or closed in anarrow-indicating direction as illustrated in FIG. 9. Thus, an anglebetween the first support 810 and the second support 820 may be adjustedthrough an external force.

The pressure adjuster 830 may include a ratchet, for example, configuredto adjust a direction in which the first support 810 and the secondsupport 820 are tightened to allow the angle between the first support810 and the second support 820 to decrease. For example, the ratchet maymaintain a direction in which the first support 810 and the secondsupport 820 move to decrease the angle between the first support 810 andthe second support 820 to reach a limit angle. In response to thedecrease in the angle between the first support 810 and the secondsupport 820, the pressure of the target portion may increase.

When the ratchet is released, the angle between the first support 810and the second support 820 may increase. In response to the increase inthe angle between the first support 810 and the second support 820, thepressure of the target portion may decrease. A depressurization speedmay be determined based on a speed at which the angle between the firstsupport 810 and the second support 820 increases. The pressure adjuster830 includes hinge dampers, for example, a first hinge damper 831 and asecond hinge damper 832, configured to adjust the speed at which thesupports 810 and 820 are released to allow the angle between the firstsupport 810 and the second support 820 to increase at a constant speed.The first hinge damper 831 may be fixed to the first support 810, andthe second hinge damper 832 may be fixed to the second support 820, forexample. When the depressurization speed is maintained by the hingedampers 831 and 832, accuracy in measuring a blood pressure may beimproved.

Here, though a blood pressure monitor configured to adjust pressureapplied to a target portion using a support system that can be tightenedhave been discussed above with reference to elements of FIG. 9,embodiments are not limited thereto and alternative support systemsupport elements that can be tightened, clamped, or closed relative toeach other, for example, may be used.

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate examples of states in which a bloodpressure monitor may be worn, in accordance with one or moreembodiments. Referring to FIG. 10A, a blood pressure monitor 1011 isworn around an upper arm of a user. The blood pressure monitor 1011includes an expandable band to be worn on various portions of a body ofthe user. Referring to FIG. 10B, a blood pressure monitor 1022 isincluded in a smartwear device 1021. A user may measure a blood pressurethrough the blood pressure monitor 1022 while the user is wearing thesmartwear device 1021.

FIG. 11 is a graph illustrating an operation of a controller of a bloodpressure monitor, in accordance with one or more embodiments.

In the graph of FIG. 11, a pressure measured in a first section 1110, asecond section 1120, and a third section 1130, and an actual bloodpressure of a user are illustrated. The first section 1110 is a sectionin which an increase in a pressure by an external force is manually madeby the user, the second section 1120 is a section in which a decrease inthe pressure is made, and the third section 1130 is a section in whichmeasurement data and diagnosis data are generated based on measuredpressures.

In the first section 1110, a first feedback signal may be output torequest the user to apply pressure. The user may create and increasepressure applied to a target portion through a blood pressure monitorbased on the first feedback signal. For example, the user may rotate thebezel 220 illustrated in FIG. 2. In the second section 1120, a secondfeedback signal may be output to request the user to reduce the appliedpressure. The user may decrease the pressure of the target portionthrough the blood pressure monitor based on the second feedback signal.For example, the user may release a lock of a ratchet by touching thebody 210 illustrated in FIG. 2. The first feedback signal and the secondfeedback signal may be output through an output device component of theblood pressure monitor, such as discussed above, or an external device.

In the third section 1130, the measurement data and the diagnosis dataare generated based on the measured pressure. The measurement data andthe diagnosis data may be generated by the controller 150, such asdescribed with reference to FIG. 1. In response to the pressure of thetarget portion being lowered, a pulsation may be detected in the targetportion. The controller determines a pressure at which the pulsation isdetected to be a blood pressure in a contraction period. For example,the controller determines a pressure at which an amplitude of thepulsation is at a maximum level to be a mean blood pressure. Inaddition, the controller determines a pressure at which the pulsationdecreases to a minimum level to be a blood pressure in a relaxationperiod, for example.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating controller operations in a bloodpressure monitoring method, in accordance with one or more embodiments.Referring to FIG. 12, in operation 1210, the controller generates afirst feedback signal. The first feedback signal is a signal to requesta user to apply pressure. The controller outputs the first feedbacksignal to the user. In operation 1220, the controller monitors a changein a blood flow of a target portion. In operation 1230, the controllergenerates a second feedback signal. The second feedback signal is asignal to request the user to reduce the pressure. The controller maygenerate the second feedback signal after verifying whether the bloodflow of the target portion is suspended in response to the pressurebeing applied to the target portion. The controller outputs the secondfeedback signal to the user. In operation 1240, the controller generatesmeasurement data based on measured pressures of the target portion. Themeasurement data may include, for example, measurements of bloodpressures during a contraction period, a determined mean blood pressure,and measurements of blood pressure during a relaxation period. Thecontroller generates diagnosis data based on the measurement data. Inaddition, in one or more embodiments, the controller transmits themeasurement data and the diagnosis data to an external device, oroutputs the data to the user through an output device component, such asdiscussed above.

The apparatuses, units, modules, devices, and other componentsillustrated in any of the blood pressure monitors of FIGS. 1 through 10Bthat perform the operations of FIGS. 11-12, for example, are implementedby hardware components. As only an example, the controllers of any ofthe blood pressure monitors of FIGS. 1-10B include such hardwarecomponents. Hardware components may include, as only examples,resistors, transistors, capacitors, inductors, power supplies,controllers, frequency generators, operational amplifiers, poweramplifiers, low-pass filters, high-pass filters, band-pass filters,analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters, andprocessing device(s), processor(s), and/or computer(s), as onlyexamples. A processing device, processor, or computer may be implementedby one or more processing elements, such as an array of logic gates, acontroller and an arithmetic logic unit, a digital signal processor, amicrocomputer, a programmable logic controller, a field-programmablegate array, a programmable logic array, a microprocessor, or any otherdevice or combination of devices known to one of ordinary skill in theart that is capable of responding to and executing instructions in adefined manner to achieve a desired result. In one example, a processingdevice, processor, or computer includes, or is connected to, one or morememories storing instructions or software that are executed by theprocessing device, processor, or computer and that may control theprocessing device, processor, or computer to implement one or moremethods described herein. Hardware components implemented by aprocessing device, processor, or computer, such as of the controller ofany of the blood pressure monitors of FIGS. FIGS. 1-10B, as only anexample, may execute instructions or software, such as an operatingsystem (OS) and one or more software applications that run on the OS, toperform or control one or more of the operations described herein withrespect to FIGS. 11-12, for example. The hardware components alsoaccess, manipulate, process, create, and/or store data in response toexecution of the instructions or software. For simplicity, the singularterm “processing device”, “processor”, or “computer” may be used in thedescription of the examples described herein, but in other examplesmultiple processing devices, processors, or computers are used, or aprocessing device, processor, or computer includes multiple processingelements, or multiple types of processing elements, or both. In oneexample, a hardware component includes multiple processors, and inanother example, a hardware component includes a processor and acontroller. A hardware component has any one or more of differentprocessing configurations, examples of which include a single processor,independent processors, parallel processors, remote processingenvironments, single-instruction single-data (SISD) multiprocessing,single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) multiprocessing,multiple-instruction single-data (MISD) multiprocessing, andmultiple-instruction multiple-data (MIMD) multiprocessing, as onlyexamples.

The methods illustrated in FIGS. 11-12 that perform or control theoperations described herein may be performed or controlled by aprocessing device, processor, or a computer as described above executinginstructions or software to perform one or more of the operationsdescribed herein.

Instructions or software to control a processing device, processor, orcomputer to implement the hardware components and perform the methods asdescribed above may be written as computer programs, code segments,instructions or any combination thereof, for individually orcollectively instructing or configuring the processing device,processor, or computer to operate as a machine or special-purposecomputer to perform the operations performed by the hardware componentsand the methods as described above. In one example, the instructions orsoftware include machine code that is directly executed by theprocessing device, processor, or computer, such as machine code producedby a compiler. In another example, the instructions or software includehigher-level code that is executed by the processing device, processor,or computer using an interpreter. Based on the disclosure herein, andafter an understanding of the same, programmers of ordinary skill in theart may readily write the instructions or software based on the blockdiagrams and the flow charts illustrated in the drawings and thecorresponding descriptions in the specification, which disclose suchmethod operations and which may be performed or implemented by any ofthe above described hardware components, for example.

The instructions or software to control a processing device, processor,or computer to implement the hardware components, such as discussed inany of FIGS. 1-10B, and perform or control the implementation of themethods as described above in FIGS. 11-12, and any associated data, datafiles, and data structures, are recorded, stored, or fixed in or on oneor more non-transitory computer-readable storage media. Examples of anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium include read-only memory(ROM), random-access memory (RAM), dynamic random-access memory (D-RAM),static random-access memory (S-DRAM), flash memory, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs,CD+Rs, CD-RWs, CD+RWs, DVD-ROMs, DVD-Rs, DVD+Rs, DVD-RWs, DVD+RWs,DVD-RAMs, BD-ROMs, BD-Rs, BD-R LTHs, BD-REs, magnetic tapes, floppydisks, magneto-optical data storage devices, optical data storagedevices, hard disks, solid-state disks, and any device known to one ofordinary skill in the art that is capable of storing the instructions orsoftware and any associated data, data files, and data structures in anon-transitory manner and providing the instructions or software and anyassociated data, data files, and data structures to a processing device,processor, or computer so that the processing device, processor, orcomputer can execute the instructions. In one example, the instructionsor software and any associated data, data files, and data structures aredistributed over network-coupled computer systems so that theinstructions and software and any associated data, data files, and datastructures are stored, accessed, and executed in a distributed fashionby the processing device, processor, or computer.

As a non-exhaustive example only, and in addition to the aboveexplanation of potential hardware implementations of an electronicdevice either as the blood pressure monitor, or electronic device thatincludes the blood pressure monitor, or electronic device that at leastincludes the controller of the blood pressure monitor may also be amobile device, such as a cellular phone, a smart phone, a wearable smartbio-signal device, a portable personal computer (PC) (such as a laptop,a notebook, a subnotebook, a netbook, or an ultra-mobile PC (UMPC), atablet PC (tablet), a phablet, a personal digital assistant (PDA), adigital camera, a portable game console, an MP3 player, aportable/personal multimedia player (PMP), a handheld e-book, a globalpositioning system (GPS) navigation device, or a sensor, or a stationarydevice, such as a desktop PC, a television or display, a DVD player, aBlu-ray player, a set-top box, or a home appliance, an Internet ofThings device, or any other mobile or stationary device, e.g., capableof wireless or network communication, for example, and capable ofreceiving or sensing/capturing the body data and biometric data, forexample, and capable of determining a biometric state based on thereceived/sensed information, as well capable of informing a user of thedetermined biometric state, depending on embodiment.

While this disclosure includes specific examples, it will be apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form anddetails may be made in these examples without departing from the spiritand scope of the claims and their equivalents. The examples describedherein are to be considered in a descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation. Descriptions of features or aspects in eachexample are to be considered as being applicable to similar features oraspects in other examples. Suitable results may be achieved if thedescribed techniques are performed in a different order, and/or ifcomponents in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit arecombined in a different manner, and/or replaced or supplemented by othercomponents or their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the disclosureis not limited by the detailed description, but further supported by theclaims and their equivalents, and all variations within the scope of theclaims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included inthe disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A blood pressure monitor, comprising: a cuffconfigured to apply a pressure to a target portion of a body of a user;a pressurizer manually operated and including a rotator, the pressurizerconfigured to supply a fluid to the cuff, to cause the cuff to apply thepressure, through rotation of the rotator caused by an externalrotational force manually applied to the blood pressure monitor torotate the rotator; a depressurizer manually operated and configured toreduce the applied pressure applied by the cuff to the target portion;and a sensor configured to measure a pressure of the target portion. 2.The monitor of claim 1, wherein the pressurizer comprises: a tubeconnected to the cuff; and the rotator is configured to supply the fluidto the cuff by rotating in a state in which at least a portion of thetube is blocked.
 3. The monitor of claim 2, wherein the pressurizercomprises: a string configured to apply the rotational force to rotatethe rotator upon an external pulling of the string by the user.
 4. Themonitor of claim 1, wherein the pressurizer is a manually operableperistaltic pump operated by the rotation of the rotator.
 5. The monitorof claim 1, wherein the pressurizer comprises: a ratchet configured toselectively maintain a rotation direction to be constant.
 6. The monitorof claim 1, wherein the depressurizer comprises: a rotary damperconfigured to reduce the pressure applied by the cuff to the targetportion at a constant rate by controlling a rotating of the rotator in adirection opposite to the rotation direction of the rotator caused bythe external force, when the external force is ceased.
 7. The monitor ofclaim 1, further comprising: a tube configured to supply the fluid tothe cuff, and wherein the depressurizer comprises a valve configured tomaintain a speed at which the fluid is discharged from the cuff to beconstant when the external rotational force is ceased.
 8. A bloodpressure monitor, comprising: a cuff configured to apply a pressure to atarget portion of a body of a user; a pressurizer including a rotator,the pressurizer configured to supply a fluid to the cuff, to cause thecuff to apply the pressure, through rotation of the rotator caused by arotational force applied to the blood pressure monitor to rotate therotator; a depressurizer configured to reduce the applied pressureapplied by the cuff to the target portion; a sensor configured tomeasure a pressure of the target portion; and a tube configured tosupply the fluid to the cuff, wherein the depressurizer comprises avalve configured to maintain a speed at which the fluid is dischargedfrom the cuff to be constant when the external rotational force isceased, and wherein the valve comprises: a ring configured to obstruct aflow of the fluid; and a support configured to support the ring based onthe flow of the fluid and in which a taper, inclined in a direction inwhich the fluid flows, is formed.
 9. The monitor of claim 1, furthercomprising: a controller configured to generate, with respect to adetermined change in a blood flow of the target portion, a firstfeedback signal based on a determination of when pressure should beincreased by application of the external force and a second feedbacksignal based on a determination of when the applied pressure should bedecreased.
 10. A blood pressure monitoring method using the bloodpressure monitor of claim 1, the method comprising: generating afeedback signal to a user to indicate when a user should cease themanual application of the external rotational force to the bloodpressure monitor; measuring pressure of a corresponding target portionof the user based on a determined change in blood flow; and outputting acalculated blood pressure of the user based on measured pressure. 11.The monitor of claim 7, wherein the valve comprises: a ring configuredto obstruct a flow of the fluid; and a support configured to support thering based on the flow of the fluid and in which a taper, inclined in adirection in which the fluid flows, is formed.
 12. A blood pressuremonitor, comprising: a cuff configured to apply a pressure to a targetportion of a body of a user; a pressurizer manually operated andincluding a peristaltic pump with a rotator, the pressurizer configuredto supply a fluid to the cuff, to cause the cuff to apply the pressure,through rotation of the rotator caused by a force manually applied torotate the rotator; a depressurizer manually operated and configured toreduce the applied pressure applied by the cuff to the target portion;and a sensor configured to measure a pressure of the target portion.